A recital album like this GENUIN release by baritone Christoph Pohl and pianist Tobias Krampen would have been called a “concept record” back in the days of vinyl records. All the songs by Liszt, Mahler, Pizzetti and Rihm chosen for this recording are about the same theme and are combined into an intriguing whole. From Petrarch’s sonnets all the way to poetry by Friedrich Rückert–all the settings are of a piece and fit within the dramatic concept. Going beyond this, Pohl’s soft, flexible baritone voice is magical, Krampen’s sensitively nuanced pianism beguiling, and the interpretative force of both musicians impressive. These are true discoveries, even for connoisseurs of the art-song!

"... Christoph Pohl was a singer new to me, but his recording of songs by Pizzetti, Rihm, Liszt, and Mahler makes a surprisingly coherent program. He has an inviting voice and artistry to match, and is well-seconded by Tobias Krampen."

Fanfare - 10 October 2012

"...One appeal of this program is hearing the music of four very different composers selected well across a theme: each of these songs captures in some way a universal human longing for meaning in an often confusing world. Another appeal is hearing a fine voice with skilled accompaniment, The more I listened, the more I found to like."